I recently came across this old 1974 photo of me, aged 22, holding my new baby son Will. Sometime late that month, 50 years ago, I made the most momentous decision of... Read more »
During my half-century as a university professor and publishing scholar, I devoted a good deal of time to an obvious but puzzling question: If we presume an omnipotent Creator exists, why did... Read more »
I held Darwin’s food bowl out to him. It was breakfast time at PrimRose Donkey Sanctuary, usually Darwin’s favorite time of day. He hung his head and turned away. Darwin had come... Read more »
The miracle of childbirth transforms people. Parents and grandparents feel mesmerized watching each infant emerge and evolve into an intelligent, creative being with unique personality traits and proclivities. We wonder: What is... Read more »
According to the Sleep Foundation, most people dream for around two hours every night. Dreaming is a universal experience, regardless of whether or not you remember them upon waking. RELATED: A Spiritual... Read more »
When I reflect on the Baha’i teachings, which stunningly prefigure many of the discoveries of modern physics, I see an interesting pattern. As a physicist, I’ve noticed that most of the clearest... Read more »
Have you been seeing lime green ribbons tied to trees this month? Those would be in honor of Mental Health Awareness Month. Mental Health Awareness Month (MHA) was first observed in the... Read more »
Have you ever had a terrible boss or colleague, one who had obviously forgotten they were no longer in middle school? Workplace bullying sadly happens on a different level than in middle... Read more »
Conscience is a thousand swords. – Shakespeare There is a higher court than courts of justice and that is the court of conscience. It supersedes all other courts. – Gandhi There comes... Read more »
At their peak, religion and psychotherapy become one. – Marianne Williamson When we were both in graduate school, I asked a friend of mine to tell me about his religion. He said... Read more »
The Baha’i writings emphatically state that mental health struggles are separate from the life of the soul: “The soul of man is exalted above and is independent of all infirmities of the... Read more »
Have you ever heard people talk about “the dark night of the soul?” I’m not sure if I had before, but when you go through the hardest period of your life, you... Read more »
Prayer is the sweetest state in the world. Through prayer, we converse and commune with the Architect of the Universe — our Creator who knows us better than we know ourselves. RELATED:... Read more »
Starting today, and for the next twelve days, Baha’is all around the world will celebrate Ridvan, which means “paradise,” the holiest and most joyous time of the Baha’i year. Pronounced rez-vahn, the... Read more »
Say the phrase “world peace” in mixed company and you’ll likely get a few scoffing dismissals, chuckles, or skeptical side-eye glances. Apparently many people see a peaceful world as an unachievable dream.... Read more »
“Tie your camel, but trust in God.” That’s not exactly how the saying goes; The original Islamic Hadith – a collection of sayings from the prophet Muhammad — states the reverse: “Trust... Read more »
Since time immemorial, prayers have been offered by individuals during times of sickness and collectively in ceremonies to celebrate the Divine Reality and to ask for blessings. Current scientific exploration of metaphysical... Read more »
Every year, around the vernal equinox, the world seems to come alive. Depending on where you live in the Northern Hemisphere, trees and bushes that were once icy and barren begin to... Read more »
Happy New Year! No, we’re not three months late—because today, on the vernal equinox, people all over the planet celebrate New Year’s Day, including the Baha’is. Have you ever heard… The post... Read more »
If you’ve ever grieved over a major loss in life, you know how profoundly painful it can be – so is there a way to creatively transform that pain into something else,... Read more »
As a neuroscientist, I’m always trying to understand how our brain deals most effectively with the daily issues we encounter. So once the end of February rolls around and my fellow... Read more »
One common theme often emerges from the biographies of social trailblazers — their acknowledgment of a higher force guiding their lives. In those biographies and autobiographies, we hear of “callings” and... Read more »
In the October 12, 1952 issue of Ebony magazine, a feature article appeared titled, “Baha’i Faith, Only Church in World That Does Not Discriminate.” At that time, Ebony magazine enjoyed a huge... Read more »
Meet Miami’s first Black millionaire — Dana Albert Dorsey, a real estate magnate, philanthropist, Miami’s most famous early Black resident, and a Baha’i. Dorsey, a sharecropper’s son, was born in 1872 in... Read more »
If I asked you to name five famous Black people, living or deceased, who would you come up with? I asked this same question in an interactive presentation I gave four years... Read more »
The second Baha’i century began and World War II neared its end in 1944 — and the first second-century Baha’is were born. That generation made a major impact on the fortunes of... Read more »
It can be hard to know what spiritual qualities you should look for in a romantic partner when our media and entertainment industry bombards us with so many images of toxic, abusive,... Read more »
In the summer of 2017, I helped develop a project in Atlanta, Georgia, focused on a proposed memorial for the enslaved Africans once sold there – and it led me to a... Read more »
…music, sung or played, is spiritual food for soul and heart. The musician’s art is among those arts worthy of the highest praise, and it moveth the hearts of all… – Abdu’l-Baha,... Read more »
What does standing up for racial justice look like? What behaviors does it require? What actions does it necessitate? RELATED: How to Be a Better Ally for Racial Justice Learn from Sadie... Read more »
How does an artist depict the human spirit’s journey? The Austrian Baha’i artist Claus Mayrhofer, who adopted the artist’s name Barabbas, attempted to do just that throughout his career. Barabbas was an... Read more »
Often, when women of color are vocal about discrimination, they become the targets of hostile sexism and are tone policed or silenced. And, if you were a Black woman during segregation, speaking... Read more »
A few words of advice and inspiration: That’s what my co-workers and I were asked to share with the young people we work with in New York City. They’re between the ages... Read more »
In part one, Michael Orona and I explored untold stories of solidarity between Indigenous Yaqui miners and African Americans. In part two, we delved into the power of spiritual courage and resilience.... Read more »
A friend of mine has a 9-year-old daughter who came home from school last week in tears. “Mom, my teacher says the world will run out of water by 2040…. The post... Read more »
In “The Brave Ones,” Michael Orona’s compelling narrative transcends beyond physical courage and delves into spiritual courage and resilience, highlighting the power of remaining steadfast in the face of oppression. As Baha’u’llah,... Read more »
Set in the 1940s American Southwest, Michael Orona’s novel “The Brave Ones” shines a light on an important but lesser-known chapter of American history. Through the shared struggles of Indigenous Yaqui miners... Read more »
What cause would you give your life for? When we think about early African Baha’is who died as a result of their beliefs, the names of Enoch Olinga (Uganda, 1979) and Duarte... Read more »
Tonight Baha’is observe the anniversary of the passing of Abdu’l-Baha, who ascended to the next world more than a hundred years ago – and left the world a legacy of universal love.... Read more »
Growing up during segregation in the United States, my grandfather, who was Cherokee, Black, and Irish, had a difficult life, to say the least. But, my mother told me, while he chanted... Read more »
As Baha’is, we strive to raise our children to know and love God and contribute to the advancement of a better world. What does that look like in practice? There are many... Read more »
On November 7, The Washington Post reported, “The FBI and authorities in several states are investigating racist text messages sent to Black people nationwide this week saying they would be brought to... Read more »
I have cancer. I live in a nursing home. I’m 88 years old. Just as my death seems to be on its final and very welcome approach, my ego rears… The post... Read more »
Over half of the world’s population now has a smartphone. Each one of these devices is more powerful than the Apollo Guidance Computer, which was used to get astronauts to the Moon... Read more »
There is an African proverb that says, “When there is no enemy within, the enemies outside cannot hurt you.” So, how do you find peace of mind and heart? In a world... Read more »
Baha’u’llah, the founder of the Baha’i Faith, came into this world at the hour of dawn on this day in 1817, bringing the means for the establishment of the long-awaited unity of... Read more »
At sunset on Friday, November 1, 2024, Baha’is everywhere will begin joyously celebrating the birthday of the Bab, the forerunner of Baha’u’llah and the founder of the Babi Faith — and you’re... Read more »
A quote often attributed to James Baldwin expresses a profound truth, “To be African American is to be African without any memory and American without any privilege.” African Americans endure systemic and... Read more »
In the mid-20th century, Colombia experienced a spiritual shift as the teachings of the Baha’i Faith began to spread throughout the country. RELATED: Forging a Path From Mexico: The First Latino Baha’i... Read more »
Thirteen years ago, I came home sobbing from the latest misogynoir, exclusion, and isolation I experienced at my high school. I expected to seek consolation from my mother, but was surprised when... Read more »